A dog on the backpack is the easy part. The hard part is matching the bag to the kid: a 17-inch bookbag that swallows a first grader whole, a cute print bag that can’t survive a rainy walk to the bus stop, a toddler pack with no room for a folder. I put this roundup together for parents shopping the dog backpacks for school niche who want the print and the practicality. My top pick is the Dog School 17-Inch Laptop Bookbag, because its waterproof fabric and full-size capacity cover the widest range of students. The Australian Shepherd Print Backpack is the better call for elementary-aged kids who care most about the design, and the Bentgo Kids Print Backpack is the smart pick for preschoolers and kindergarteners who need something smaller and lighter. The real tradeoffs come down to size versus age fit, waterproofing versus weight, and washability versus construction. Here’s how I’d sort them.
Key Takeaways
- The Dog School 17-Inch Bookbag is the only fully waterproof pick here — the clear choice for kids who walk or ride the bus in wet weather.
- Size tracks age across this lineup: two full-size 17-inch bags for ages 6 through teens, and one 14-inch Bentgo built for ages 4-6.
- The Australian Shepherd print bag is the lightest of the three and the only one offering personalization, but it trades away weather protection.
- The Bentgo’s built-in lunch loop is the standout small-kid feature — lunch clips on outside instead of disappearing into the bag.
- Care demands differ sharply: the top pick is hand wash only, while the Bentgo’s water-resistant shell simply wipes clean.
| Dog School Backpack for Girls, Boys, Teens – 17 Inch Laptop Bookbag for Sports, Travel, Camping |  | Best Overall — the full-size waterproof pick for older kids and teens | Dimensions: 11 x 6.3 x 16.9 inches | Material: Waterproof polyester | Laptop Fit: Up to 17-inch laptops | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Cute Dog Lover Backpack with Australian Shepherd Print for Kids, 17-inch Lightweight School Bag |  | Best for Elementary School — the lightweight Aussie print kids actually ask for | Material: Lightweight polyester | Size: 17 inches | Design: Australian Shepherd print | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| Bentgo Kids Print Durable & Water-Resistant Backpack for Ages 4+ |  | Best for Preschool and Kindergarten — small frame, smart features | Material: Water-resistant fabric | Size: 14 inches | Age Range: Ages 4+ | VIEW LATEST PRICE | See Our Full Breakdown |
| dog backpacks for school | Material | Straps | Compartments | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog School Backpack for Girls | Waterproof polyester | Adjustable shoulder straps | Multiple pockets and compartments | — |
| Cute Dog Lover Backpack with A | Lightweight polyester | Adjustable, breathable | — | 17 inches |
| Bentgo Kids Print Durable & Wa | Water-resistant fabric | Padded, adjustable | Multiple | 14 inches |
More Details on Our Top Picks
Dog School Backpack for Girls, Boys, Teens – 17 Inch Laptop Bookbag for Sports, Travel, Camping
If I had to hand one bag to the widest range of students, it would be this one. The Dog School 17-Inch Laptop Bookbag is built around a simple promise: it carries everything an older kid or teen actually hauls. The 16.9-inch main compartment swallows a full 17-inch laptop plus binders, a lunch, and gym clothes, and the waterproof polyester shell is the only true waterproofing in this lineup — the other two bags are merely water-resistant or untreated polyester. For a kid who walks to school or waits at a bus stop in November rain, that difference matters more than any print.
Compared with the Australian Shepherd bag below, which sits in the same 17-inch size class, this one reads older. The styling is subdued enough for middle and high school hallways, where a bright cartoon dog can feel babyish by seventh grade. The tradeoff is personality: younger kids will gravitate to the Aussie print, while this bag wins on all-weather protection and longevity. Against the Bentgo, there’s no contest on capacity — this bag holds roughly double — but the Bentgo is the far better fit for a five-year-old’s frame.
The drawbacks are real. It arrives with packaging wrinkles that need a wash or a few days of hanging to relax. It’s hand wash only, which is annoying for a bag that will absolutely end up on cafeteria floors. And its bulk is genuine: on a child under about six, it looks like luggage. For teens and bigger elementary kids, though, this is the most complete package here.
Pros:- Swallows a 17-inch laptop plus binders, lunch, and sports gear
- Genuinely waterproof polyester — the only full rain protection in this lineup
- Multiple compartments keep school, sports, and travel loads separated
- Adjustable shoulder straps adapt as kids grow
Cons:- Arrives with packaging wrinkles that take a wash or days of hanging to relax
- Hand wash only — no machine washing after cafeteria-floor incidents
- Too bulky for children under about six
Best for: Middle schoolers, teens, and older elementary students carrying laptops, binders, and gym gear — especially those walking or bussing in wet weather.
Not ideal for: Kids under six or small-framed children who’d be dwarfed by a 17-inch bag, and families who insist on machine-washable gear.
- Dimensions:11 x 6.3 x 16.9 inches
- Material:Waterproof polyester
- Laptop Fit:Up to 17-inch laptops
- Compartments:Multiple pockets and compartments
- Straps:Adjustable shoulder straps
- Closure:Smooth zipper
- Care:Hand wash only
- Best Age Range:Older elementary through teens
Our verdict“The most capable, weather-ready bag here — the one to buy for any student old enough to fill it.”
Cute Dog Lover Backpack with Australian Shepherd Print for Kids, 17-inch Lightweight School Bag
Some kids don’t care about denier counts or compartment layouts. They care that there’s an Australian Shepherd on their bag, and that it’s their dog. This backpack leans into that completely: a colorful Aussie print aimed squarely at ages 6 to 12, with a personalization option neither of the other two bags offers. For a kid who has been begging for a dog, this is the closest a school supply list gets to granting the wish.
It’s also the lightest carry of the three, which matters more than parents expect at this age — a bag that’s heavy empty becomes a complaint machine by October. The adjustable breathable straps help on warm walk-home days. Where it gives ground to the top pick is weather protection: the polyester here isn’t rated waterproof, so books inside need a hood or an umbrella escort on genuinely wet days. It also reads younger than the Dog School bookbag, so a style-conscious twelve-year-old may age out of the print before the bag wears out. Next to the Bentgo, the calculation flips — this holds far more and fits bigger kids, but it would swamp a kindergartener.
Color choices are limited, which is a shame when the print is the whole selling point. And like most 17-inch bags, it’s too much backpack for anyone under six. For the elementary window it’s designed for, though, it hits the mark: light, roomy, and exactly as dog-obsessed as its owner.
Pros:- Bright Australian Shepherd print with genuine kid appeal
- Lightest bag of the three — easy on smaller shoulders
- Large capacity handles folders, books, snacks, and a jacket
- Personalization option makes it a strong gift
Cons:- No waterproof rating — contents need cover in real rain
- Limited color options, and the print skews too young past about age 12
Best for: Dog-loving kids ages 6-12 who want a playful print (maybe with their name on it) and a light bag for elementary or early middle school.
Not ideal for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners too small for a 17-inch bag, teens who’d find the print babyish, and daily walkers in rainy climates who need real waterproofing.
- Material:Lightweight polyester
- Size:17 inches
- Design:Australian Shepherd print
- Age Range:6-12 years
- Capacity:Large — school supplies, snacks, personal items
- Straps:Adjustable, breathable
- Extras:Personalization option, multiple compartments
Our verdict“The pick for elementary-aged dog lovers who’d choose the print over everything and carry it happily all year.”
Bentgo Kids Print Durable & Water-Resistant Backpack for Ages 4+
Bentgo built its name on kids’ lunch gear, and that design sensibility shows here. This is the only bag in the lineup sized for an actual small child: 14 inches tall, light enough for a four-year-old to carry without tipping backward, with a padded back panel and padded adjustable straps that neither of the bigger bags matches at this scale. The detail I keep coming back to is the built-in lunch loop — a strap that clips a Bentgo lunch bag (or any loop-handle lunchbox) to the outside. Lunch stays attached instead of vanishing into a cubby or getting sat on. That’s the kind of feature that sounds minor until school day forty.
The water-resistant fabric wipes clean, which puts it ahead of the hand-wash-only top pick for yogurt-tube explosions and muddy drop-offs. Against the Australian Shepherd bag, this is the safer buy for ages four through six: the Aussie bag holds more, but a bag a kid can’t comfortably wear doesn’t get worn. The flip side is obvious — capacity. There’s no laptop sleeve expectation here, and oversized binders or library-book hauls will strain it by second or third grade. Families should expect to size up around then, which makes this a two-to-three-year bag rather than a buy-it-once purchase.
Available colors run limited, and coordination with other Bentgo gear is a genuine plus only if you already own it or plan to. For daycare, preschool, and kindergarten, though, nothing else here fits the body it’s meant for.
Pros:- Right-sized 14-inch frame for ages 4 and up
- Padded straps and cushioned back panel — the best comfort package here
- Built-in lunch loop keeps lunch attached and findable
- Water-resistant fabric wipes clean in seconds
Cons:- Too small once kids hit binder-and-chapter-book years
- Limited color selection; Bentgo ecosystem only pays off if you buy into it
Best for: Preschoolers, kindergarteners, and daycare kids ages 4-6 — especially families already using Bentgo lunch gear.
Not ideal for: Kids past early elementary who need binder and laptop space, and buyers hunting one bag to last through fifth grade.
- Material:Water-resistant fabric
- Size:14 inches
- Age Range:Ages 4+
- Straps:Padded, adjustable
- Back Panel:Cushioned
- Lunch Carry:Built-in loop for attaching a lunch bag
- Compartments:Multiple
- Ecosystem:Coordinates with Bentgo lunch boxes and accessories
Our verdict“The right-sized starter backpack for ages 4-6, with the smartest lunch-carry solution of the three.”
How We Picked
Every bag in this category has a dog on it, so the print alone couldn’t decide the order. I compared what actually separates one school backpack from another: size-to-age fit, fabric and weather protection, carry comfort (strap padding, breathability, back panels), organization, and care demands. I also weighed how long each bag stays appropriate — a backpack a kid outgrows in a year is worse value than one that carries them through several grades, even if the first one costs less.
The ranking reflects breadth of usefulness. The Dog School 17-Inch Bookbag leads because waterproof fabric, full laptop capacity, and teen-friendly styling cover the most buyers for the most years. The Australian Shepherd bag sits second: lighter and more charming, but narrower in who it fits and weaker on weather. The Bentgo ranks third not because it’s lesser — for its target age it’s the best-designed bag here — but because it serves the smallest window before a child sizes out of it. If my audience were only preschool parents, the order would flip entirely.
| dog backpacks for school | Material | Compartments | Straps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog School Backpack for Girls | Waterproof polyester | Multiple pockets and compartments | Adjustable shoulder straps |
| Cute Dog Lover Backpack with A | Lightweight polyester | — | Adjustable, breathable |
| Bentgo Kids Print Durable & Wa | Water-resistant fabric | Multiple | Padded, adjustable |
Factors to Consider When Choosing Dog Backpacks For School
Three bags, three different kids. Before the FAQ, here’s the framework I’d use to choose between them — and between any dog backpacks for school you find beyond this list.
Match the Size to the Child, Not the Grade
Backpack sizing runs on torso length, and the wrong size is the most common buying mistake. A school bag should sit between the shoulders and the lower back — anything hanging past the hips pulls posture backward. For preschool through kindergarten (ages 4-6), a 14-inch bag like the Bentgo is the right scale. Elementary students from about age six up can handle 16- to 17-inch bags, and teens carrying laptops genuinely need that full 17-inch compartment. The two big bags in this roundup would bury a five-year-old; the small one would frustrate a fifth grader with a binder. When you’re between sizes, size down — an overstuffed small bag beats an underfilled big one for comfort.
Waterproof vs. Water-Resistant: What’s Actually Different
These terms get used interchangeably in listings, and they shouldn’t be. Waterproof polyester, like the shell on the top pick, sheds sustained rain — the difference between dry textbooks and a soggy math folder after a ten-minute walk in a downpour. Water-resistant fabric, like the Bentgo’s, handles splashes, spilled juice boxes, and light drizzle, and it wipes clean fast. Untreated polyester — the Australian Shepherd bag — offers the least protection but keeps weight and cost down. Match the fabric to the commute: kids who walk or wait at bus stops in wet climates should get real waterproofing, while car-riders and bus-door-to-school-door kids can save the weight.
Comfort Details Worth Paying For
Kids carry absurd loads — often 10 to 15 percent of their body weight by middle school. Three features do the heavy lifting. Padded adjustable straps spread weight across the shoulders instead of digging in; all three bags here have some version, but the Bentgo’s padding is the most generous relative to bag size. Breathable strap mesh, like the Australian Shepherd bag’s, cuts down on sweaty-back complaints in warm months. A cushioned back panel — Bentgo only, in this lineup — keeps binder corners and water bottles from pressing through to the spine. For daily walkers, I’d treat these as requirements rather than bonuses; for kids who mostly ride, they’re nice upgrades.
Cleaning and Care Realities
School bags live on floors. Before buying, check the care label, because these three differ. The top pick is hand wash only — fine for end-of-term deep cleans, annoying for weekly spills. The Bentgo’s water-resistant shell wipes clean with a damp cloth, which is the lowest-effort option here. Polyester print bags generally want spot cleaning to protect the design. One quirk worth knowing: bags shipped folded, like the Dog School bookbag, often arrive with packaging wrinkles that relax after a wash or a few days hanging — that’s cosmetic, not a defect. Whichever bag wins, skip the dryer; air drying preserves coatings, prints, and strap padding far longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size backpack does my child need for school?
Size follows age and torso length more than grade. Ages 4-6 (preschool and kindergarten) do best with a 14-inch bag that sits between the shoulders and lower back — the Bentgo in this roundup is built to exactly that scale. Ages 6-12 can carry 16- to 17-inch bags like the Australian Shepherd print, which hold folders, books, and a lunch without overwhelming the frame. Teens need the full 17-inch class with a laptop compartment, like the Dog School bookbag. Whatever the age, the bag shouldn’t hang past the hips, and loaded weight should stay near 10 to 15 percent of the child’s body weight.
Is a 17-inch backpack too big for a kindergartener?
Almost always, yes. A 17-inch bag on a five- or six-year-old typically hangs below the hips, and that low carry pulls the child backward and strains the shoulders even when the bag is half empty. Kindergarteners carry little — a folder, a change of clothes, a snack — so a 14-inch bag like the Bentgo covers the actual load while fitting the body. Save the 17-inch size for around age six and up, when kids start hauling real homework. The exception: if the school requires a full-size folder that won’t fit a mini bag, look for the smallest pack that swallows it flat.
Are dog print backpacks okay for middle school?
It depends entirely on the print’s styling, and this lineup splits right down the middle. The Dog School 17-Inch Bookbag uses a more subdued dog theme that reads fine in middle and even high school hallways. The Australian Shepherd print is brighter and cartoonier — most kids love it through about age 12, which is exactly the range it’s designed for, but image-conscious seventh graders may decide it’s babyish before the bag wears out. If the student is on the cusp, I’d let them choose: a bag they picked gets carried without complaint, and a bag they didn’t gets lost by November.
How do I clean a polyester school backpack?
Start with the care label, because these three bags genuinely differ. The Dog School bookbag is hand wash only — cool water, mild soap, a soft brush on stains, then air dry. Machine washing can break down waterproof coatings and strap padding even when the bag survives the cycle. Water-resistant shells like the Bentgo’s usually just need a damp cloth and mild soap for daily grime. Print bags do best with spot cleaning so the design stays bright. Always empty every pocket first (you’d be surprised), hang the bag open until it dries fully, and never put any of them in the dryer.
What features matter most for a preschooler’s first backpack?
Shrink the checklist to what a four-year-old actually does with a bag. Light weight tops the list — a heavy empty bag becomes a daily battle. Padded straps and a cushioned back panel keep the carry comfortable on small shoulders. A lunch attachment, like the Bentgo’s built-in loop, solves the single most-lost item in early education. Water-resistant fabric earns its keep at cleanup time, and smooth, chunky zippers matter for fingers still mastering fine motor skills. Skip laptop sleeves, big organizer panels, and extra capacity at this age — unused space just invites overpacking, and the bag gets sized up in two or three years anyway.
Conclusion
Three bags, three different kids — pick the child first, and the bag picks itself. For teens and older students hauling laptops and binders, the Dog School 17-Inch Bookbag is my call: the only waterproof option here, sized for real academic loads, styled to survive the middle school hallway. For elementary kids ages 6-12 who will love a bag because it has their favorite dog on it, the Australian Shepherd print is the one — light, roomy, personalizable, and priced for the age where tastes change fast. For preschoolers and kindergarteners, the Bentgo is the only correct size in the lineup, and the lunch loop alone earns its place. Buy for the kid standing in front of you, not the one they’ll be in three years.
